The School of Lonely Hearts
by iloveromance
Summary: Teddy Duncan is slowly acclimating herself to life at Yale University, but when loneliness takes over, she realizes what she's left behind. When her attempts to contact her family and friends fail, something unexpected occurs and she finds that she's not so alone in the world after all. Contains spoilers for the finale "Goodbye Charlie".
1. Chapter 1

Teddy Duncan closed her book and sighed. How was she ever supposed to study for her first official college class exam if she couldn't even concentrate? This wouldn't be like the tests she took at South High. This was college, and not just any college. This was Yale University, one of the best schools ever, and she'd worked too hard and too long throughout her life just to let her college experience just slip away. Besides, what would her family think? They were proud of her (yes, even PJ, Gabe and Charlie although she knew they would never admit it) and she wanted to live up to their expectations and hold onto that feeling for as long as she could.

With a new determination, she picked up the book and forced herself to read it. _Come on Teddy, you can do this! _Her mother's voice echoed in her head, followed by that of her best friend; _T, you don't want to end up doing something with your life that you'll regret. _She glanced at a paragraph soaking in the words, hoping they would somehow transform into knowledge. But then she realized that she'd been reading the same sentence over and over, she put the book down in frustration. Perhaps if she just cleared her mind.

But doing so was not in the cards.

For the moment she looked up, her eyes fell onto the dresser that she shared with her roommate Meredith. One side (the left), held several framed pictures, that suddenly blurred before her eyes, and she was thankful that Meredith was gone for the weekend, visiting her family in Oklahoma. The weekend didn't officially start for two days but Oklahoma was a long drive from Connecticut. Come to think of it, so was Denver.

And just that simple thought was all it took.

_Darn it, not again…._


	2. Chapter 2

She got up out of her chair and crossed the short distance of the dorm room to the dresser, picking up one of the pictures. It was a picture taken just last year. Her entire family sat on the steps, smiling at her. Her mother, of course had the biggest smile of all. Amy Duncan was anything but subtle, basking in the limelight since she'd been named co-host of _Wake Up Denver_ and to her it was the equivalent of receiving an Academy Award for Best Actress. Although, Teddy was convinced that some of her mother's "performances" over the years could qualify for such an award had she bothered to film them. Instead she'd used her video camera to tape video diaries for her little sister, Charlie. Now she hoped that Charlie was watching them, learning from her older sister's experiences.

Charlie…. Such a sweet little girl and she was growing up so fast. Her cherubic smile warmed Teddy's heart and it came with a bit of sadness. For she knew that the next time she saw her family, Charlie would be older, and Teddy would have missed out on seeing her little sister grow up. In the photo she was sitting in her dad's lap, smiling brightly for the camera. She definitely took after her mother.

And in her mom's lap was Toby, the newest (and last) edition to the Duncan family. He was definitely a surprise for she was sure that once Charlie arrived, that was it. Apparently so did her mother, until one Christmas when mother and daughter became separated during a family vacation and ended up in Las Vegas. It was there that her mother confessed to her fifth pregnancy. Teddy was horrified at first, but Toby had turned out to be pretty great after all.

Next to her mother was her older brother PJ, the high school goof-off turned cooking school student, turned part business owner. Just before she left for Yale, he became the proud owner of a food truck. Her dad was not happy about it, until he and PJ decided to go into business together… making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches… "PJ & B's PB & J's". The name might be ridiculous but she had to admit that the sandwiches are amazing. A good thing since she had a feeling she'd be receiving plenty of them in the mail from home.

Wearing his usual polo shirt-this time in green, her dad was smiling proudly in the back and she knew that he was proud of his whole family, not just his oldest daughter. He had his own business, Bob's Bugs Be Gone, and combined with working as a partner to PJ in the food truck business, he was definitely going to be busy.

And last, her brother Gabe. He was such a prankster, always pulling one over on her parents, her brother or on their neighbor, Mrs. Dabney. But Mrs. Dabney had learned to one-up Gabe and now they had become allies. How in the heck did that happen?

Unexpectedly, the tears in her eyes started to make their way down her cheeks, and she brushed them away. But it was no use. The harder she tried, the more they fell and she grabbed her pillow from her bed and sat down, clutching the pillow to her chest. It was a painful reminder of all the times that she'd done the same thing in high school. But as she'd quickly figured out, she wasn't in high school anymore. She was at Yale, and she was alone; far away from her family and friends.


	3. Chapter 3

Angrily she wiped the tears away, grateful that she was alone. She was a student at Yale University and she knew for a fact that students at Yale University did not sit around crying like this when they were supposed to be studying for their first college exam. What would her parents say?

She raised her head and looked around the room, her eyes landing on her video camera. Just looking at it brought back a hundred memories and she anxiously [picked it up aiming it at herself. A plastered smile on her face and she hit the RECORD button.

"Hey Charlie, it's Teddy, with my first video diary from Yale! Can you believe it? I'm in college now and-." She stopped suddenly and put the video camera down, flipping the power switch. She'd stopped doing video diaries for Charlie before she left for Yale. What was the point of doing them from here, when Charlie wouldn't even be able to see them? Sending them home would be a major pain and she just didn't have time to-

Suddenly a wave of loneliness came over here, unlike any she had ever experienced. The lump in her throat returned followed by tears that seemed relentless. When a sob escaped she curled into a ball on her bed and clutched her pillow, reminded of the day that she'd caught Spencer with another girl. She was beyond humiliated and it was her mother who soothed her broken heart. But her mother had turned out to be right. That breakup with Spencer definitely wasn't her first broken heart.

Minutes later, exhausted from crying, she rose from the bed and glanced into the mirror, horrified at her appearance. God, she looked pathetic. She'd barely been at school for a month, so how could she possibly be missing her family this much? It was worse than when she'd said goodbye to them in the kitchen.

Another sob as she remembered the looks on her brother's faces, along with the tears. She'd never seen her brothers cry and it just made her cry even more. Great, that was all she needed. She wondered if they were still missing her, although something told her that they'd gotten on with their lives, having forgotten all about her.

Well that wasn't a good thing to think. It was too late now, as the tears fell even faster. In this pathetic state of emotion, there was only one thing to do. Ivy would understand, she always understood.

Ivy…

Her heart racing, Teddy ran to her desk and opened her laptop. If she could just talk to Ivy, via video chat, everything would be all right. A few clicks of the keys and the screen came to life. But after trying several times, she repeatedly got the same message:

_The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please try again later. _

Her heart sank and she felt more alone than ever. In times like these there was only one other thing to do.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." She groaned, typing on her laptop once again. As before the screen came to life but just when she thought there would be hope, her world came crashing down. For the reply was the same.

_The person you are trying to reach is not available. Please try again later. _

She pounded the pillow with her fist, angry at the world. Didn't her family know how much she loved and missed them? And shouldn't they be there at home, waiting for her phone call?

A phone call…

She picked up her phone and dialed the number she knew by heart, letting it ring… and ring, and ring, and ring… and finally an answer.

_"Hello-."  
_

"Mom? This is Teddy! I just-."

_"You've reached the Duncan residence."_ The recording continued. _"We're not able to take your call right now, but if you leave your name and phone number we'll get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you for calling, goodbye." _

Her hands trembled as she held the phone in her hand, the world around her blurred by her tears. She'd contacted the most important people in her life, and yet they all seemed to have forgotten about her. But perhaps she could try one last time. There was still one other person who might understand….


	4. Chapter 4

Teddy groaned as she scrolled through the list of names on her phone. She was taking a huge risk, calling PJ's annoying friend, Emmitt Heglin out of the blue, but she was on the verge of desperation. There was no doubt in her mind that he would go berserk knowing that she had called him just to hear his voice. He'd answer the phone and say "Hey, Teddy Bear!" in that obnoxious tone of his. Ugh, and to think that she once had a dream about kissing him! What was she thinking, telling him about it? And worse, why had she thought that kissing him to get it out of her system would be a good idea? It wasn't… that was for sure.

The idea of talking to him now should have sickened her, but she found that she missed him. How in the heck did that happen? Had she become so pitiful that she actually missed such an annoying human being?

Taking a deep breath, she found his name on her contact list and pushed the tiny telephone sign. She had no idea what she would say to him when he answered but she was sure she would think of something. It was inevitable that such a random phone call would lead him to believe that she was remotely attracted to him, although nothing could be further from the truth. The guy would start calling non-stop and, if word of this humiliation got out, her college reputation would be completely ruined….

Not that she actually had a reputation to begin with.

She barely knew anyone at Yale, except for Victor, and she tried to keep her distance from him.

He was, of course, her friend and it would always be that way, but they were in a different world now and… well… she wanted to be her own person. She could have easily contacted him, for his dorm, Hanson Hall, was less than three blocks from her own. But it wasn't the same.

The phone rang repeatedly and then stopped. Her breath caught in her throat but then she heard the dreaded voice mail greeting. "Hey! Sup! This is Emmitt. Talk to me!"

The tone blared in her ear and but she couldn't bring herself to speak, let alone leave a message. Instead she stared out of the window, her gaze transfixed on the expansive view of the campus. If she couldn't have an actual conversation with someone, then what was the point?

The relentless tears stung her eyes and she turned on the television, hoping for some sort of distraction. But even the local news was tormenting her. The journalist was over-excited about a "thrilling" new mega thrill ride that had just opened at a theme park.

But when the picture on the screen changed, she was shocked to see a familiar place; Super Adventureland, the place where she'd been arrested and then labeled a hero for uncovering a ring of pickpockets, and the place where she'd been forced to kiss Spencer during their break-up. So many memories… and now there was a new cool ride that her family and friends would be enjoying… without her.

She could feel her chest aching and she was no longer in the mood to study. If this kept up, she'd flunk out of Yale before she barely began and disgrace herself and her family. But at least she'd be at home where she belonged.

It was this thought that she took with her as she climbed onto her bed once more, soaking her pillow with her tears.


	5. Chapter 5

"_Surprise!" _

_Teddy gasped, as her hand flew to her chest. "Oh my… what's all this?"  
_

_"It's for you!" her dad said. _

"_Because we love you and miss you so much!" Charlie added in her cute, adorable way.  
_

_Teddy looked around her dorm room, stunned to see all of her family and friends standing in the tiny space. "This is…. How did you know that I was so lonely? And how did you get in here anyway?" _

_Her mother smiled and hugged her a little too tightly. "Oh Teddy, a mother always knows when her child is hurting or alone. We couldn't bear to think of you so unhappy so we packed up the car and drove all the way here!"  
_

_"But I never said anything! … I couldn't get a hold of you… any of you…. So how…"  
_

_"It doesn't matter how." PJ said, wearing a smile that was bigger than Texas. "The point is we're here now and we love you! "  
_

_Teddy's eyebrows rose. PJ was actually expressing his love for his little sister? This was dang freaky! Her eyes filled with tears as she looked around the tiny dorm room, filled to capacity with almost everyone she knew. "I love you too… all of you. Is this a prank? Gabe are you up to something? Mrs. Dabney? Anyone? I-."  
_

_But suddenly the room was empty.  
_

_"Hey! Where did everyone go? Don't leave me! Come back! Come back! Please! I-." _

She woke with a jolt, her heart racing like a roller coaster at Super Adventureland and her cheeks were damp with tears. And it was then that she was aware of the soft knocking on the door. She rose from the bed, cringing when she looked in the mirror. She looked absolutely horrible. Her first thought was to ignore whoever it was at the door, because she really didn't want anyone to see her this way. But at that moment, she desperately needed someone to talk to. This couldn't go on. And since her family and friends seemed to have abandoned her, the desperation was growing faster by the minute.

But she couldn't be thinking bout that now. She had to answer the door. However, no matter how comforting the thought of talking to another human being-any human being-may be, the ache in her chest just wouldn't go away. And so she took a deep breath and opened the door. As she did so, her mouth fell open in disbelief.

"Oh my God… Spencer? "


	6. Chapter 6

His smile, the one that usually warmed her heart, now served as a reminder of how lonely she'd been and Teddy threw her arms around him.

"Hey, Teddy."

The sound of her name on Spencer's lips made her hug him tighter and she leaned against him, relishing the feel of him in her arms. "Is it really you?"

He laughed and rubbed her back. "Yeah, it really is. Look, I'm sorry I didn't call first, but I wanted to surprise you. I-."

"Don't talk, please. Just… hold me."

To her relief, he held her closer. "Okay. Sure. Hey, are you all right?"

His concern touched her deeply, bringing new tears and she drew back, looking into his handsome face. "No… No I'm not, actually."

He took her hand and led her further into her dorm room, closing the door behind him. As they sat on her bed, he brushed away her tears and stared deeply into her eyes… or more accurately, into her soul. Sometimes it felt as though he was the only one who understood her.

"What happened?"

She sighed, afraid to tell him what was in her heart. What would he think of her? Quickly she looked away but he took her chin in his hand, turning her toward him.

"What's wrong? This isn't like you, Teddy."

"It's stupid, okay? I just… well, I love being here and all. I mean why wouldn't I? This is Yale, the school I worked my whole life to get into, so why should I be feeling like this? I-I don't understand! I'm just… I'm so lonely, Spencer! I miss my family and my friends and-."

She began to cry, unleashing tears that she never thought would be possible. She'd already cried enough to fill every river in Colorado.

He moved closer and put his arms around her, letting her cry into his shoulder. "Hey, come on, don't say that. You're not alone. "

She lifted her head. "I know. God, I'm pathetic. Even Charlie didn't cry on her first day of pre-school! What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing's wrong with you. And you're not pathetic. Look, you're far away from home, everything is new. You're bound to feel a little homesick. It happens to everyone."

"Yeah, but I bet you didn't sit in your dorm room in Boston, crying over something so stupid."

"Missing your family and friends isn't stupid, Teddy. It's human nature. It shows how much you love and care about them. When I first got to Boston, I missed my parents like crazy. I even wondered if I was doing the right thing, leaving high school early."

"Y-you did? You really missed your parents?"

"Yeah. My parents, my friends… and you."

"Me? You mean-."

"Of course I missed you. How could I not? I'd seen you all the time at school and I couldn't stop thinking about you. And I never stopped missing you. That's why I came to your party. Well, and because your dad… I mean you… invited me."

She laughed, remembering how she'd gotten her dad to invite Spencer to her going away party, in a not-so-subtle way. "You really missed me?"

"Oh yeah, Teddy. I-."

Overcome with love for him, she kissed him with everything she had. "I love you, Spencer."

"And I love you, Teddy."

They'd said the words to each other before but somehow here far away from their home in Colorado it felt different.


	7. Chapter 7

The kisses they shared were sweet, passionate and oh-so missed. But when he drew back suddenly she was worried. "What's wrong?"

"I almost forgot. I brought you something."

She laughed in spite of herself. "Spencer…"

He rose from the bed and grabbed something from the table next to the door and then returned to her. "It's not much but I hope you like it."

She took the red sweatshirt and unfolded it, smiling at the large orange letters emblazoned on the front.

"BIPA."

"Yeah it's just…"

She kissed him once more. "Thank you, Spencer. I wish I had something for you, but I didn't-."

"I don't need anything. I just wanted to see you."

In the moments that followed they sat on her bed holding each other and she leaned against him, wondering if anything could be more perfect. Somehow she doubted it.

Outside of her window, dusk was beginning to fall and she started at their entwined fingers, remembering all of the good times they had experienced.

"Teddy, why were you crying earlier?"

"Oh… it's stupid. I guess I just felt like everyone had forgotten about me! I mean, I just wanted to talk to someone but I couldn't get a hold of anyone! I tried my parents, my brothers, Ivy, even _Emmett_! I must have been desperate!"

They laughed and Teddy pulled the red sweatshirt over her head, slipping her arms into the sleeves. It was much bigger than clothes she normally wore and was more suited to Spencer's frame than her own, but she loved it immensely. Perhaps it was just her imagination but it was the softest article of clothing she'd ever worn. And she could smell his cologne on the fabric, making it even more wonderful. She could think about him when he was gone. But right now he was here, with her.

His smile told her that he approved of her wardrobe. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks, you look pretty great yourself."

And that was an understatement. In his pale blue polo shirt, he looked incredibly handsome. But then his smile faded. "Teddy, about… before… when I showed up at your house…."

"That was in the past! Besides, Luke and I aren't together anymore. He moved back to Tennessee."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

But his grin wasn't fooling Teddy at all. "You're not sorry, are you?"

He smiled. "Not at all."

"So… what were you going to say, before?"

"Teddy, when I told you that I couldn't be friends with you, I didn't mean it. I know I've done some terrible things in the past, things that I'm not proud of at all. But I hope we can put all of that behind us. You're the best friend I've ever had. You're sweet, smart and you have the greatest family. This may sound crazy, but I'm a little jealous. I…. Teddy? Teddy?"

But Teddy was no longer listening. She was sound asleep, comforted by Spencer's arms. He looked at her and smiled as he kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, Teddy. Your family and friends didn't forget about you. They couldn't. I couldn't. They love you so much. And so do I."

THE END


End file.
